Emirates has begun daily A380 services to Mauritius, providing the carrier with 1,000 additional seats each week to the popular Indian Ocean island.

EK701 departs Dubai International Airport at 0310 and arrives in Mauritius at 0940, while EK702 departs at 1820 and arrives in Dubai at 0110 the next day. Emirates also operates a second daily flight to the country using a B777-300.

As part of the capacity increase agreement, Emirates has signed a 10-year ‘commercial co-operation’ with Air Mauritius, and a renewed MoU with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, although it did not elaborate on the extent of the co-operation.

Around 100 local Pirogue fishermen created a Mauritian-style ‘Hello A380′ greeting in the Blue Bay Reserve Marine Park, in south-east of the island.